The School for Scandal
Closed 2h 30m
The School for Scandal
86%
86%
(74 Ratings)
Positive
96%
Mixed
3%
Negative
1%
Members say
Funny, Clever, Great acting, Delightful, Entertaining

About the Show

Red Bull Theater presents Richard Brinsley Sheridan's 18th century comic masterpiece about a world without privacy, morality, or taste.

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Critic Reviews (25)

The New York Times
April 27th, 2016

"A jaunty new production...First staged in 1777, the play mostly holds up; scandal, clearly, has always been with us. But Sir Peter, who does a great deal of complaining about his wife’s spending and the misery of marriage, was probably a lot funnier back in the day...Not so Ms. Cespedes, who lends Lady Teazle a radiant mirth and a surprising depth...This is a very smart 'Scandal:' handsome, lively, wonderfully cast and, like the most irresistible gossip, a lot of fun."
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Time Out New York
April 26th, 2016

"Some of the comedy's rhythms have, to be sure, staled over the centuries, but the core recipe proves durable: Sheridan condemns society gossips, which, coincidentally, lets him put the naughtiest of them front and center. Happily, snark has no expiration date...Vietor does allow several performances to turn overly broad...How do you render every line hilarious? Don't ask me—Baker and Ivey are mere feet away, giving the master class."
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AM New York
May 6th, 2016

“Marc Vietor’s smart and stylish, fully energized, delightfully over-the-top production brings together a dynamic 14-person cast...In their hands, a convoluted plot feels fresh and effortless...It’s a shame that the production officially opened at the height of the annual onslaught of Broadway openings...Here’s hoping that Red Bull finds a way to put ‘School’ back in session for all the students who have yet to attend class.”
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Lighting & Sound America
April 25th, 2016

“It's a mystery: Vietor has put together a polished, handsome production; why doesn't it fizz like cyanide-infused champagne?...The company is technically skilled but wildly uneven in humorous comedic ability...We don't get ‘The School for Scandal’ regularly enough that any fan of Sheridan can afford to overlook this at-least competent production, but...it deserves more glittering treatment than it gets here. This school delivers scandal with surprisingly little sting.”
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Talkin' Broadway
April 24th, 2016

"Lives up (or should that be down to?) the sparkling standard set by this effusively acerbic farce. Vietor's take-no-prisoners staging and a nearly ideal cast dive headfirst into all of Sheridan's tart-vinegar writing and come out with first-class champagne...Ultimately, everything meshes together with the raucous clarity it should. That should make it good enough for all but the most die-hard Sheridan purists...All that bad talk leads to a darn good time."
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CurtainUp
April 25th, 2016

“Excellent direction from Marc Vietor...and universally exceptional acting from the cast...It's unfair to single out anyone when everyone is so good—this is great ensemble work. But what is more striking than the professionalism on display is the sense of fun. Everyone seems to be having a good time here, with pitch-perfect line readings, great timing, and excellent physical work...If you have even the faintest interest in classic theater, you should go see ‘Scandal’ as soon as you can.”
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TheaterScene.net
April 30th, 2016

“With impeccable casting and a pitch-perfect production team, this ‘School’ is as witty, delightful and accessible as one could wish. The 18th century look of the play is both historic and satiric. Anna Louizos’ clever settings transform one into the other with the turn of a wall or a door and a rearrangement of the furniture, highlighted by Russell H. Champa’s lighting. Her witty use of props (a chamber pot, a trunk, empty picture frames) adds to the fun.”
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Theatre is Easy
April 30th, 2016

"Linn-Baker, so winning as an unfortunate newlywed trading barbs with his sharp-tongued wife, is gifted with numerous hilarious moments as he sputters in indignation…The rest of the cast is uniformly excellent, fleet-tongued as they keep all the parrying and machinations going…If you like your classics with more than a bit of bite, get schooled before the show closes."
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